The Codestone Problem
by GothicViolet
Summary: A fanfic written long ago when the mystery island was new at neopets. About my friend Nikki's two lupes, Remus and Akihada, and their quest to find a codestone (which was rare back then) and pay for the training school, before they get caught and punished


A powerful white Lupe named Remus bounded across the harbor to the dock. He was about to sail off to the Mystery Island and spend time in the training school. His owner had spent a lot of time training him on quests, but after he heard about the newly discovered Mystery Island, he set off for adventure and strong preparing for the upcoming battledome.  
  
Unfortunately right now Remus was late. He dashed up the boarding area and quickly handed his ticket to one of though ship managers. Hen, Remus leaped on the ship and sat down, panting.  
  
On the ship, Remus casually walked onto the deck and leaned on the railing. He could feel the soft breeze blowing against his white fur, and the warm sun shining down upon his back. It was wonderful. However, Remus remembered not to think of this as a vacation. His main goal was to get to the training school and get ready for the battledome. Not go and play at the beach.  
  
While Remus was gazing upon the sea, a stone Lupe named Akihada approached him and stood next to him. Startled, Remus turned around. "Oh, um, hi there. I'm Remus, who are you?" Remus asked.  
  
"I'm Akihada. So, are you off to the Mystery Island?" Akihada replied. His voice seemed soft and friendly, but still, Akihada had a serious tone of voice.  
  
"Yup. I'm no really vacationing there, I'm going to spend my time in the Training School." Remus replied.  
  
"You are?" answered Akihada, "Me too! Perhaps we can train together."  
  
Remus thought that was an excellent idea. After all, it seemed that he and Akihada were friends already. "Why certainly!" he exclaimed.  
  
"That's great!" said Akihada, "I'll stay with you; at one of those island hotels. I can just imagine all the luxury, room service, a heated pool…"  
  
"Hold on!" Remus shouted. Akihada was getting too carried away. "We're only going to stay at a small motel, no room service, and we're only going to sleep there. All day, we're hitting the Training School."  
  
Akihada slumped at this remark. Remus assumed he was thinking of spending their trip as a vacation, but that would cost too much neopoints, and not enough time to train.  
  
The Mystery Island was only a few hours away. The two talked together, and ate, and planned out what they would do while in the Training School.  
  
Remus's goal was to raise all his stats as high as they could go, but Akihada just wanted to get a few workouts. You can see a difference between the two.  
  
Finally, after many hours, they reached the Mystery Island. Remus fainted at the sight. "Palm trees, I can't believe I'm actually seeing palm trees…" Remus spoke. All his life, Remus had grown up in the forest where it snowed often. "Sand, I can't believe I'm picking up sand…" Remus chanted, gazing upon the beautiful paradise. "Annoying, I can't believe how annoying Remus the lupe is…" Akihada said, imitating him, "Come on, we need to get to work!" he then shouted, awakening Remus from his trance.  
  
The two Lupes hurried through the crowd of tourists and came to a cheap motel. "Ugh, this is where we're going to stay? It looks awful and dirty." Akihada said.  
  
"Remember Akihada, we won't spend much time in motels. This is only so we'll have somewhere to sleep." Remus reminded him.  
  
Remus and Akihada entered the lobby and handed the receptionist a cheap forty neopoints. But what could you expect from a dirty motel?  
  
After unloading their luggage in their room, Remus and Akihada flipped on sunglasses and headed toward the Training School, which was located in the center if the island.  
  
"Hey, there's the Tiki Gift Shop!" Akihada shouted, "Let's go, I've been dreaming of a keychain or a bottle of sand!"  
  
"Oh no Akihada, Training School, remember?" Remus said, pulling him along.  
  
Remus and Akihada hurried through the dark jungles, until a tall building came into view. It seemed to be glowing, with grand beautifulness. Both stopped and gazed. Suddenly, a tough, strong, Nimmo came out of the building and bowed. "Welcome visitors. The Techo master awaits you. Enter."  
  
Both slowly entered, and saw a huge gym filled from pets ranging from muscular Jetsams to wounded Kacheeks. They noticed a very old green Techo giving classes. Suddenly, a pretty looking Gelert walked up and handed them a clipboard. In it was a form.  
  
Welcome to the mystery Island Training School dear friends! Please fill out the form below to participate.  
  
Name ____________________  
  
Species______________________  
  
Course Chosen__________________________  
  
Level______  
  
Remus and Akihada both filled out their forms. Remus put down level 28 and chose to work on endurance. Akihada wrote down level 7 and chose to work on agility. Then, they handed the Gelert their forms. "Thanks, the Techo master will be right with you." she said.  
  
A few minutes later, the green Techo approached. "G'day little lupe brothers, Remus, you go into the room to the left, and Akihada, come with me."  
  
About an hour later, Akihada walked out of his room, panting. Apparently in the agility course he ran around a large field getting snowballs thrown at him. After a while of snowball splatters, Akihada finally learned the way to dodge the snowballs, and increased his speed by one. "Where's Remus?" he asked. "He has longer courses since he is stronger." Said the young Nimmo.  
  
Another hour later Remus came out. He had done just fine (with no pressure). He said hi to Akihada and they both walked out of the training school to get some rest and go on the tiki tours. Suddenly, the Techo master raced in front of them. "Wait" he said, "You little lupeys must pay a codestone. That's the rules here."  
  
A codestone? Remus had seen them back at home; they were very expensive (for a neopet at least). Where was he going to get a codestone? This didn't sound good.  
  
Remus growled. "What's the matter?" asked the Techo master. "I wish I had brought one, if only I had known. My owner has tons of codestones at home. It's all my fault."  
  
"I see… well where is your home?" the Techo master asked. "Um, quite far from here…" Remus stuttered. He knew he was in big trouble now. What would happen if he didn't pay? "Look lupeys, you gotta pay." The now annoyed Techo master said. "And if we don't…" Remus asked. "Then it's off to jail for you." Replied the Techo master. Both lupes gulped. "Uh, I have an idea." Said Akihada. "What?" asked Remus. "RUN!"  
  
The two lupes sprinted away from the training school and into the market. They dashed into one of the shops (a plushie one, to be more specific) and walked around casually, pretending nothing was wrong and hoping that they would not be caught.  
  
A Halloween aisha named Gaz sat at the counter. "Greetings, big midgets." She said. "How may I help you?"  
  
"Uuuuuh… can we have… err… a… a lupe plushie?" Remus stuttered. "What color?" Gaz asked. "Ummm… maroon?" Remus said. Gaz stared at him. "Since WHEN do lupes come in MAROON?"  
  
"Errrr… since yesterday!" Akihada joined in, "I just invented them! I guess they're not in yet." Gaz rolled her eyes. "Ya know, if you're hiding something, you can just tell me." She said.  
  
With a gulp, Remus told her all about their codestone problem, and how they were running from techo master. Gaz nodded her head every once in a while, until she finally spoke up. "Well, my owner Devi does have some codestones… you can get them from her.  
  
"REALLY?" Akihada exclaimed, looking excited, "And where does she live?" "Over the river and through the woods, right next to grandma's house." Gaz replied, "Her house is easy to spot, it's surrounded with chopsticks." The two lupes thanked Gaz and ran off to find Devi's house. Little did they know of the adventure they were about to encounter…  
  
The lupes went to the harbor of the Mystery Island and rode the boat back home, where they would find Devi. Both lupes waved good-bye to the island, even though they knew they would be coming back soon. Finally, the boat stopped back at Neopia central, and Remus and Akihada got off.  
  
"Alright, now what?" asked Akihada. "Well, Gaz told us over the river and through the woods." Remus replied. And so they headed off for the big neopian river.  
  
Finally, after a few hours, they reached the river. "CRAP!" Remus exclaimed, "This river is HUGE! We'll never get across!" "I don't even know why they call it a river." Akihada said back, "Looks more like a miniature ocean to me…"  
  
And it was true. The river was very wide, and very deep, and there was no way the two lupes could get across it without meeting their end.  
  
"Oh this is just WONDERFUL." Akihada yelled, looking rather annoyed, "If only a stupid lupe named Remus had read the rules BEFORE entering the training school, but noooooo…" "Oh shut up." Remus snapped, "You didn't read the rules either. So we're even. Now let's find a way to get across this damn river…"  
  
"I say we swim across." Akihada suggested. "Oh come ON." Remus said, rolling his eyes, "If we do, we'll surely drown." "That's the point." Akihada said back, "That way they'll never find us. Even if they do, they'll probably hang us or something…"  
  
Suddenly, and by coincidence (we're not lying!) a large piece of wood floated downstream and right in front of Remus and Akihada. Both lupes stared at the piece. "THANK YOU GOD!" Akihada bellowed, and with that he jumped on the piece of wood, and stayed afloat perfectly. Akihada beckoned for Remus to jump on also, and closing his eyes, Remus leaped and landed safely on the floating piece.  
  
"It's a miracle!" Remus exclaimed, looking rather happy, "This damn thing can support both of us! Now let's get across." Using his paws, Remus paddled themselves across the river, and soon to the other side.  
  
Akihada and Remus stepped off the wooden plank, and continued their journey. The next step, as Gaz had said, was through the woods. "Well, that doesn't sound too hard, does it?" Akihada said cheerfully. Remus agreed. However, they soon came across a gigantic dark forest filled with many trees.  
  
"Who reckons we're gonna get lost?" Akihada said mournfully. Both lupes raised their paws. "You know, we could have been at Devi's house by now, but nooooo… Mother Nature decided to pick on us. Oh why, oh why…" Remus said. But it was their last hope. And with that, they carefully entered the dark forest.  
  
"Now, they said through, correct?" Remus asked. Akihada nodded. "But which way through?" "I'm assuming it's just straight through." Akihada replied. "So all we have to do is walk directly straight." And with that, Akihada walked completely straight, and soon banged into a tree.  
  
"Oh darnit." Akihada said, "There's trees in the way." "Uhhhh… can't be just walk AROUND the trees and continue walking straight?" Remus suggested. "Good idea." Said Akihada, and the continued through the forest, walking straight and dodging the trees on the way.  
  
Soon, they came to a light (and Akihada praised god once again). Happily, the two lupes bounded towards the light, and came upon two small homes. "Hey look!" Remus said, pointing to one, "That looks just like GRANDMA'S HOUSE!" The house next to it was rather strange looking, and was surrounded by chopsticks. "And that must be Devi's house." Akihada said back, "Come on, let's go."  
  
The two lupes padded up to the chopstick house and knocked on the door. A small faerie aisha opened it. "Hello, how may I help you?" she asked. "Um, does Devi live here?" Remus said back. "Oh, right this way please." The aisha said, and she led them inside the house and into the kitchen. In the kitchen, there stood a young teenage girl with purple hair who was slicing cheese.  
  
"Hey there!" she said cheerfully, "What brings you here?" "We need two codestones to pay for the Training School. Gaz sent us." Akihada replied. "Oh, heehee, Gaz." Devi said, "Well, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I have a codestone. The bad news is that I only have one."  
  
Remus and Akihada stopped dead. Only ONE codestone? That meant that only one of them could pay, and the other would have to suffer the consequences.  
  
Devi walked out of the kitchen and later returned with a small, shimmering Lu Codestone. She handed it to Remus. "Well, I guess you two are going to have to decide who's gonna pay." Devi said, "G'day to you lupes."  
  
Remus and Akihada walked out the door still with that shocked look on their faces. What were they going to do?  
  
"Well, how about I pay, and you take the punishment?" Akihada said after a long while, breaking the silence. "And how is that fair? Why can't it be the other way around?" Remus barked back. "Uuuuh… because." Akihada replied wearily. "Because what?" Remus asked. "Just… just because!" Akihada said. Remus rolled his eyes.  
  
"Well what else do you want us to do?" Akihada snapped, "Either way is unfair. We have to think of a way BOTH of us can pay. And if not, then BOTH of us will suffer the consequences. Those are the only fair ways." Remus nodded, and sat down on a rock to think. Akihada did the same.  
  
Both lupes sat there for over an hour, both thinking about how they would solve their problem. Suddenly, Remus sprang up. "I've got it!" he shouted, "We can make a counterfeit codestone! No one would ever know!"  
  
"Great idea, but how will we do that?" Akihada said back. "Well, I've got a pretty good pair of eyes, so I'll search for a rock with the exact same size, color, and shape of our codestone. And I've heard you're quite an artist (Akihada blushed), so you can carve the symbol into the stone." "Brilliant!" Akihada bellowed, "Let's get to work!"  
  
Remus started sniffing and searching around for the perfect rock. This search took hours, and even a day until finally, when he was about to give up, Remus stumbled upon the ideal rock. "Found something!" he declared, and showed the rock to Akihada. "Perfect!" Akihada said, and then it was his turn to get to work.  
  
Another day passed as Akihada chipped and carved away at the stone to picture the symbol on the codestone Devi had given them. Finally, he was finished, and the codestone looked perfect.  
  
But there was only one problem. The real codestone was glowing, and this one wasn't. The two lupes were speechless. How could they make this counterfeit codestone glow? Suddenly, they had an idea.  
  
"Remus, aren't aishas very good in magic?" Akihada asked. Remus nodded. "Do you think…" Akihada said, pausing. "Yes, Akihada, yes I think…" Remus said back. And they ran up and pounded on Devi's door.  
  
Once again, Aleuisha answered the door. Remus started telling her all about their plan, and how they needed her to make the codestone glow. With a nod, Aleu took the codestone back inside, stared at it and muttered a few words, and after a few hours, she stepped back outside with a perfectly glowing stone.  
  
Akihada and Remus thanked Aleuisha, and started back for the mystery island.  
  
Soon, they were at the harbor. Waving good-bye to the Haunted Woods, they took the boat back to the mystery island, and headed off for the training school. There, they found the techo master waiting for them.  
  
"I knew you boys would return. Have you brought me your codestones?" he asked. "Yes." Remus replied, and he handed him the two stones. "Aaah, you are very smart lupes. I can tell that one of these codestones is not real. Very clever, very clever indeed."  
  
Akihada and Remus's mouths hung open. He had discovered their trick, and they were dead meat now.  
  
"Now, because you had spend a lot of time on this, and because it was very clever and very well done, I'll let you get by, but just this time. Farewell, Remus, and farewell, Akihada.  
  
Remus and Akihada gave a sigh of relief, thanked the techo master, and went back to the harbor. They were heading back home. Even though their trip didn't go as planned, they still had a great adventure, and a great time. 


End file.
